CPU Showdown

Core i5-12600KvsEPYC 9755

The Core i5-12600K is a balanced mid-range desktop chip for gamers and home builders, while the EPYC 9755 is a massive 128-core server processor designed for data centers and heavy virtualization.

Intel Core i5-12600K
10C / 16T · 125W
VS
AMD EPYC 9755
128C / 256T · 500W
Intel

Core i5-12600K

Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont · Intel 7 nm · 2021

17score
4.1/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
10 / 16
TDP
125W
Boost Clock
4.9 GHz
L3 Cache
2 MB

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AMD

EPYC 9755

Turin · 4 nm · 2024

100score
2.8/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
128 / 256
TDP
500W
Boost Clock
4.1 GHz
L3 Cache
512 MB

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Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.

Core i5-12600K
17
EPYC 9755Winner
100
EPYC 9755 leads by 488.2% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#1EPYC 9755100
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#135Core i5-12600KF17
#136Core i5-12600K17
#137Core i5-13400E16
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.

SpecsCore i5-12600KEPYC 9755
Cores
Total Cores10128
Threads16256
Base Clock3.7 GHz2.7 GHz
Boost Clock4.9 GHz4.1 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache2 MB128 MB
L3 Cache2 MB512 MB
Platform
SocketFCLGA1700SP5
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 5.0 and 4.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 770
Power
Base TDP125W500W
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The EPYC 9755 wins overall for its massive core count and extreme multi-threaded performance, but the Core i5-12600K is the better choice for everyday tasks and gaming.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i5-12600K offers strong single-threaded speed and lower power draw, while the EPYC 9755 is overkill and expensive.

When the other wins

The Core i5-12600K is the right pick if you need a fast, affordable CPU for gaming or general desktop use.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-12600K better than the EPYC 9755?

Overall the EPYC 9755 is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (100 vs 17 out of 100), so it leads the Core i5-12600K in most workloads.

How much faster is the EPYC 9755 than the Core i5-12600K?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the EPYC 9755 is roughly 488% faster than the Core i5-12600K overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i5-12600K or the EPYC 9755?

If you want the most performance, pick the EPYC 9755. If the Core i5-12600K is meaningfully cheaper where you shop, it can be the better value for similar real-world results — check current prices and the full spec comparison above before deciding.